| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... 15:20 - May 23 with 4438 views | wkj |
He really has put in some beautiful work with the youth team last season and is a player who really does deserve to be assessed for the first team this season. With Arsenal and Not-quite-Norwich circling, you have to think town either has to play him next year to tempt him to sign on longer or sell him this summer to not end up getting poached.
I really wanna see what this lad can do for us in the Senior team. Fingers crossed. [Post edited 23 May 2022 15:21]
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:05 - May 23 with 1602 views | itfcjoe |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 15:56 - May 23 by tractorboy1978 |
The fact between him and Humphreys they only got about 15 mins of football at the back end of the season (in dead rubbers) is pretty damning as well.
You've got to hope both of them come into pre-season flying and McKenna is willing to give them an opportunity next season. It's more likely another season of investment sees them pushed further away from the first team though. |
He was due to be on bench on last day (he was at Crewe as well) but had tonsilitis so may have got some minutes then - but yep it's really not a lot for a side that has come 11th in the league and miles away from POs and relegation spots |  |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:18 - May 23 with 1554 views | tractorboy1978 |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 15:58 - May 23 by wkj |
This is another reason why getting commanding leads is important. Back in the Burley Era, you could guarantee that a teenage KD would be running on if we were 2-0 up in the second half. [Post edited 23 May 2022 15:58]
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You also need them to be on the bench as well. Before any transfers you've got:
Morsy, Evans, Harper, El Mizouni - CM
Chaplin, Aluko, Edwards, Burns, Jackson, Pigott - can all play in the front 3
You'd expect a couple of those above to go and a few more to come in, but it's going to take a concerted effort for them to even make the bench IMO. |  | | |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:28 - May 23 with 1525 views | cressi |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 15:56 - May 23 by wkj |
All part of the youth-merry-go-round. If someone shows potential and promise, gett'em whilst the cost a few hundred thousand in compensation rather than 22 million if they come good whilst playing for their academy club (James Maddison went to Leicester for that fee at the age of 21) |
Yes there may be a bit more money at a premier league club.
But in the last few yrs how many have left here to even be a top championship club player I mean youngsters a fat zero.
Maybe a bit of patience required by young players if you do well here in the 1st team you will get ur money move even Richard Wright left hardly to play 1st team football again nice bank balance hardly a career of playing | | | |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:35 - May 23 with 1503 views | wkj |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:28 - May 23 by cressi |
Yes there may be a bit more money at a premier league club.
But in the last few yrs how many have left here to even be a top championship club player I mean youngsters a fat zero.
Maybe a bit of patience required by young players if you do well here in the 1st team you will get ur money move even Richard Wright left hardly to play 1st team football again nice bank balance hardly a career of playing |
That kind of highlights the problem with our academy lately - we haven't really produced any youngsters that the big guns go for. If we had produced potential elite players, we'd likely have lost them for peanuts (as most lower grade academies tend to) | |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:36 - May 23 with 1500 views | itfcsuth |
He's had an exceptional season, it's natural for bigger clubs to come circling.
It happens, we are trying to tie him down, if it doesn't work out, so be it. Isn't the first and won't be the last. |  | | |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:40 - May 23 with 1487 views | Vic |
With K Macs record of working with youth I'm confident that if this lad is good enough he'll get his chance here.
As was said with Simpson, his agent is out of order if he/she is asking for first team playing time assurances. these youngsters (or more likely their agents) need to trust the system! we have a bright new manager, and club management in place that has a record of bringing through young players. |  |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 19:46 - May 23 with 1333 views | LeoMuff |
There is little more depressing than logging in to TWTD to see “ insert name of promising 18 year old with one 1st team appearance linked with Arsenal and other prem w@nkers” ffs
Feels like this happens way too often. |  |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 21:17 - May 23 with 1268 views | southnorfolkblue |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 15:37 - May 23 by Parky |
I’m not disagreeing, but we can’t keep allowing our top young assets to get down to the final year of their contract before selling.
Simpson and now Chirewa both on their final year, if we can’t tie them down, we aren’t going to be selling for much money. Same happened with Gibbs IIRC.
Maybe something needs to be done to get them tied down earlier and for longer? |
I don’t think it’s as simple as that though. There have been plenty of youngsters over the years who have promised much and faded into relative obscurity. The likes of Bowditch, Clarke and Carson spring to mind. It’s a dangerous game to sign these guys to long term contracts when they are unproven.
The real issue here is that as a League 1 club we simply can’t compete if a Prem side comes calling | |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 21:22 - May 23 with 1257 views | itfcjoe |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 21:17 - May 23 by southnorfolkblue |
I don’t think it’s as simple as that though. There have been plenty of youngsters over the years who have promised much and faded into relative obscurity. The likes of Bowditch, Clarke and Carson spring to mind. It’s a dangerous game to sign these guys to long term contracts when they are unproven.
The real issue here is that as a League 1 club we simply can’t compete if a Prem side comes calling |
Everything’s a risk | |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 05:04 - May 24 with 1133 views | Bramidan |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:36 - May 23 by itfcsuth |
He's had an exceptional season, it's natural for bigger clubs to come circling.
It happens, we are trying to tie him down, if it doesn't work out, so be it. Isn't the first and won't be the last. |
Agree with this totally.
For the player why wouldn’t his head be turned by the interest of a “big”club and the chance to pocket serious money.
On the flip side, why does the player think he’s going to play at the bigger club if he is not playing for the first team in the lower league?
Personally, I’d take the money, if it does not work out you can always drop back down.
Why miss the boat and an opportunity of a chance in a lifetime? | | | |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 08:16 - May 24 with 1051 views | Wallingford_Boy |
Yes, the lad is the best we have at that level, just get him signed up Ashton! |  |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 08:29 - May 24 with 1034 views | Churchman |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:40 - May 23 by Vic |
With K Macs record of working with youth I'm confident that if this lad is good enough he'll get his chance here.
As was said with Simpson, his agent is out of order if he/she is asking for first team playing time assurances. these youngsters (or more likely their agents) need to trust the system! we have a bright new manager, and club management in place that has a record of bringing through young players. |
Agree with you re KM. However, in terms of agents and players trusting the system, is there one or is it grab what you can while you can from agents/young players’ perspectives?
The trouble is that the academy system is so skewed towards Premier clubs hoovering up young talent, if anyone with real promise is out there, a wodge of cash is slapped on the players’ and their parents table and they’re gone with the promise of the moon on a stick. Mostly to disappear to L1 or L2 two years later if they’re lucky.
Given where we are, I’m inclined to think the Academy is a waste of time at the moment. As Dyer pointed out last summer, we’ve not produced anyone that’s made serious money or made much of a difference to us in years. You could say Downes and Dozzell, but the money they were sold for was hardly Wickham level. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think the academy has paid for itself in years - i’d be interested to know what the annual cost is.
The history of the club from the 60s on is based on bringing players through. I get that and saw it and loved it. Identity. However, maybe it’s time to mothball the youth side of it. Perhaps go down the Brentford route and scout unwanted top clubs academy throw outs until the club is strong enough at a higher level to support a properly funded youth system with first rate facilities and structures, even if that means building a new training centre somewhere. Just subjective thoughts |  | | |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 09:05 - May 24 with 1006 views | tractorboy1978 |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:40 - May 23 by Vic |
With K Macs record of working with youth I'm confident that if this lad is good enough he'll get his chance here.
As was said with Simpson, his agent is out of order if he/she is asking for first team playing time assurances. these youngsters (or more likely their agents) need to trust the system! we have a bright new manager, and club management in place that has a record of bringing through young players. |
I don't think it is out of order at all to want assurances on first team involvement/a genuine development plan. It's easy to say 'trust the system' but you need to see tangible evidence you are going to be involved. As I said earlier, he didn't get a minute towards the back end of last season when we had nothing to play for!
Liam Gibbs ended this season with numerous appearances on the Norwich City bench in the Premier League, which is as close as he would have been to our first team in L1.
Hopefully we show a real desire to involve and push on the likes of Humphreys, Chirewa and either Ndaba/Baggott next season. [Post edited 24 May 2022 9:08]
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 10:05 - May 24 with 941 views | jayessess |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 08:29 - May 24 by Churchman |
Agree with you re KM. However, in terms of agents and players trusting the system, is there one or is it grab what you can while you can from agents/young players’ perspectives?
The trouble is that the academy system is so skewed towards Premier clubs hoovering up young talent, if anyone with real promise is out there, a wodge of cash is slapped on the players’ and their parents table and they’re gone with the promise of the moon on a stick. Mostly to disappear to L1 or L2 two years later if they’re lucky.
Given where we are, I’m inclined to think the Academy is a waste of time at the moment. As Dyer pointed out last summer, we’ve not produced anyone that’s made serious money or made much of a difference to us in years. You could say Downes and Dozzell, but the money they were sold for was hardly Wickham level. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think the academy has paid for itself in years - i’d be interested to know what the annual cost is.
The history of the club from the 60s on is based on bringing players through. I get that and saw it and loved it. Identity. However, maybe it’s time to mothball the youth side of it. Perhaps go down the Brentford route and scout unwanted top clubs academy throw outs until the club is strong enough at a higher level to support a properly funded youth system with first rate facilities and structures, even if that means building a new training centre somewhere. Just subjective thoughts |
I don't think you can switch these things off and on again, when it goes, it'll be gone for good.
The academy is part of what the club is. It connects the club to our community and our heritage and without it we're something lesser. For me, these aren't things you should measure as a line of our budget. |  |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 10:28 - May 24 with 929 views | Garv |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 15:44 - May 23 by JDB23 |
Speaking of youth players, where on earth do we see Dobra next year? Wasn’t too long ago Lambert was getting pelters for not playing him and Brighton were sniffing around, almost seems like a forgotten player now. Have to think he’s one we’ll probably try to move on? |
I still think Dobra's worth keeping around.
El Miz not so much. |  |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 12:30 - May 24 with 856 views | Sharkey |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:35 - May 23 by wkj |
That kind of highlights the problem with our academy lately - we haven't really produced any youngsters that the big guns go for. If we had produced potential elite players, we'd likely have lost them for peanuts (as most lower grade academies tend to) |
It was rumoured that Colchester got more for Todd Miller, who signed for Brighton three years ago when he was sixteen, than the 750,000 they got for Smodiczs, who went to Bristol C. at the same time. Miller has just signed a new contract with Brighton, so presumably they still think he's got what it takes to 'make it'.
For Colchester, these were substantial peanuts. (Miller had actually come on as a sub for a couple of league games for the U's, aged 16 and not much. Whether these cameos were a factor in Brighton signing him is unknown.) |  | | |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 12:57 - May 24 with 805 views | itfcjoe |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 16:35 - May 23 by wkj |
That kind of highlights the problem with our academy lately - we haven't really produced any youngsters that the big guns go for. If we had produced potential elite players, we'd likely have lost them for peanuts (as most lower grade academies tend to) |
I think we have, but the club floundering around in mid table L1 means you can't sell them for proper money - also the dysfunction since Mick left means they've not been in a good environment to play in.
Someone like Flynn Downes is being linked with £10m moves into the PL now, by not being in the Championship it has cost us that big fee.
In that one year of players i.e those born in Late '98 - Late '99 we had 5 England youth internationals in Nick Hayes, Tristan Nydam, Flynn Downes, Andre Dozzell and Tristan Nydam, plus Jack Lankester, Corrie Ndaba and Luke Woolfenden; and Charlie Brown who left.
That our most talented generation matured at the time the club went tits up is something that will have cost us an absolute fortune in reality. Decisions like Nydam going to St Johnstone, Dozzell being ignored by Hurst, the Demolition man by Cook (which nearly cost us Woolf as well)
We have a very talented generation at the moment, we've lost Gibbs already, but still Chirewa, Simpson, Baggott, Armin, Humphreys are all very talented boys and it's up to the club to ensure that the pathways aren't blocked by OTT transfer business as happened last summer | |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 13:06 - May 24 with 781 views | wkj |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 12:57 - May 24 by itfcjoe |
I think we have, but the club floundering around in mid table L1 means you can't sell them for proper money - also the dysfunction since Mick left means they've not been in a good environment to play in.
Someone like Flynn Downes is being linked with £10m moves into the PL now, by not being in the Championship it has cost us that big fee.
In that one year of players i.e those born in Late '98 - Late '99 we had 5 England youth internationals in Nick Hayes, Tristan Nydam, Flynn Downes, Andre Dozzell and Tristan Nydam, plus Jack Lankester, Corrie Ndaba and Luke Woolfenden; and Charlie Brown who left.
That our most talented generation matured at the time the club went tits up is something that will have cost us an absolute fortune in reality. Decisions like Nydam going to St Johnstone, Dozzell being ignored by Hurst, the Demolition man by Cook (which nearly cost us Woolf as well)
We have a very talented generation at the moment, we've lost Gibbs already, but still Chirewa, Simpson, Baggott, Armin, Humphreys are all very talented boys and it's up to the club to ensure that the pathways aren't blocked by OTT transfer business as happened last summer |
Downes is not really what I would consider an elite player, yet. Besides, he was integrated into the team and sold as a senior player rather than a youth player, so he barely counts in my opinion. | |
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| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 13:20 - May 24 with 767 views | itfcjoe |
| All eyes on Chirewa next season then... on 13:06 - May 24 by wkj |
Downes is not really what I would consider an elite player, yet. Besides, he was integrated into the team and sold as a senior player rather than a youth player, so he barely counts in my opinion. |
Time will tell, but if he gets an 8 figure move into the PL then surely he is an elite player?
That's basically the ceiling for a Cat 2 academy player bar a miracle player on your doorstep, the sort of thing Dozzell could have been but sadly ended up not being. | |
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